A Hidden Past
by Poette O'Deal
Summary: She said that she was born in captivity.She said that she came from a zoo in California.She didn't lie.She simply never said that she was born in that zoo. Beware as a secrete from Marlene's past is reveled.Will her friends still except her? Some Skilene.
1. 911! Otter Down! Otter Down!

*CHAPTER 1: 911! OTTER DOWN! OTTER DOWN!*

The sun had just been going down over central park zoo and all the animals were at one of there meeting. As always Skipper and Julien where argueing, which had been entertaining for the first few minutes but was now just plain annoying! Everyone was too busy either following the arguement or they were of in lala to notice that a certain otter was extremly ill.  
>Marlene's fur was soaked with sweat, her breathing was heavy(not that you could here over Skipper and Julien's fighting),her throat was slightly swollenmaking it hard to breathe,and her vision was becoming fuzzy. Over the last few days she has not had a good nights sleep and its not because of Julien! It's because of the nightmares she's been having. Horrifiing dreams that could only have come from hell. Nightmares about a place no animal would wish to enter, let alone be born in! Lack of sleep isn't her only problem, she hasn't ate anything for the past week. Not for any reason like she's trying to lose weight but because she just hasn't been hungry.<br>Marlene begins to tune in and out of the fight. In her head it just fillers, the woulds enter her head with no meaning to them.

"You are a danger to this zoo Ringtail what with you keeping eveyone half the night with your (&%#) Boom box, You have stollen from some the zoo's residents, and you areO just plain selfish!" Skipper roared to Julien, clealy peeved at the idiotic lemur.  
>"No it is you who are being the shellfish mister flightless are a danger to fun you silly-billy penguin! What with all your rules and blah-blah scientiferic mumbo jumbo!" yelled back Julien.<br>"Really well if it was not for us this zoo would not be stand-!" Skipper was cut off when he felt something very, very, very, very warm ,moist,wheazing and... shivering(?) touching his back. The sudden halt in the arguement caught everyone's attention.  
>Skipper looked back to see what was pressed against him. What he saw was Marlene slumped against his back, the top of her head touchinghis black one had noticed her moving up to the penguins and lemurs on the tabled and if they did they thought it was just her trying a futile attempt at stopping the nonstop argument.<br>"Marlene are you feeling okay?" Skipper recieved no response; instead Marlene slipped from his back and semi-unconsiously stumbled off the table, head first!

"Marlene!" Skipper acted quick and was able to catch her before her head made contact with the pulled her back up to the table and set her down her back.  
>Everyone rushed over to the table to see what was wrong with Marlene. After skipper made sure she was secure he pressed his flipper to her forehead,"(&amp;%#), she's burning up! Kowalski, analysis!"<br>Kowalski checked her vitals and temperature, "She appears to have no internal damage, but is severly exhausted. She is also runing a severly high fever. We need ice to cool her down and some equipment from the infirmiry."  
>"Right and while the boys and I do that the rest of you will watch her, alright", the other animals gave some sort of notion that they agreed and the penguins left the zoo's vet office.<br>The others were left alone with the sick otter. No one knew what to do or how to act. So they sat there in silence Until Julien brok the science.  
>"Ugh... Maurice this is boring. Oh I know Dance Party. Come on shake you back-sides... come on everyone...lets par...ty," Julien's enthusiasm let him when he noticed everyone glaring at him. Maurice had left his side for shelter dragging Mort with him. All the others animals wanted to kill him then.<p>

"Um... I will be leaving now." the others continued to glare at the lemur until him and his crew left. Mort was to young for this anyway. She shivered.  
>"Well, I suppose we should cover her up then", Mason sugested breaking the uncomfertable silence. The others gave signs of agreement and Mason and Phil went to get a blanket. Little did they know that even though they were facing a scary situation, Marlene was reliving a nightmare straight from hell. She said that she had been born in captivity and that she came from California. She didn't lie. She simply never said that she had been born in California. They simply assumed and you know what they say about assuming, don't you.<p>


	2. Medical Search and Nightmares From Hell

*Chapter 2: Medical Search and Nightmares from Hell *

{In The Zoo's Infirmiry} "Rico, Private please try to be careful with that ice. We need to be silent like a ghostly wind or a windy ghost. Kowaski, statis report on operation medical Search." Skipper was in full military mode barking orders at everyone. "Searching Skipper, although in retrospect this would be easier if Phil and Mason were with us", Kowalski pointed out the fact that they couldn't read and Skipper smacked the his forehead.  
>"(&amp;%#), we do not have time for this." Skipper mumbled, "I'll get the chimps the rest of you keep searching." He slid of on his belly to the zooviner shop.<p>

{In The Zooviner Shop}  
>"So...does any...one know what...to do...now?" Mason an the others were still pretty shook up over this matter. They were used to the zoo's vet to take care of the sick and injured. Not themselves! The others gave the sae answers in their own ways.<br>Suddenly Marlene whimpered.  
>The others gathered around(as best they could)hoping that she might wake up. She already screamed in her coma-like state twice; moaned and whimpered seven times since the penguins left for the zooviner shop. Each time they were slowly being unraveled. The lot were becoming bgs of nerves. The sirens and car crashes of New York's "natural" aimbiance.<br>Marlene's eyes fluttered open.  
>{Zooviner Shop: Marlene's Point Of View}<p>

Hmnn...? Where...am I?

Colors are what I see at first black, brown, beige, gray, pink, yellowish. Colors... surround ..me? Noise. now garbled sounds chase as everything goes black.  
>A flash of then... oh crap! I-i-i c-can't be back. Please...no...anywhere but here. Out of habit I run. Faster nd faster I run. I have to before they-<br>Pain surges though my boy making it go mind yells at my body to run before pain comes. But it's useless my body just won't react. Mre pain flashes through. They're whpping with a bullwhip, laughing like its some sick game. Blood. I can feel blood trickling down my back! more laughter.  
>"We told you that running was useless, didn't we Experiment Ninteen?" A voice drones through into my head. Its Dimix, one of the guards of this god-forsaken place.<br>[Zap]

Crap now they've electricuted me. It burns! It burns! make it stop! Make it stop! Please someone make it stop! They stop after five minutes. The smell of singed flesh and hair float all around me. The laughter drones on and I black out, again.


	3. The Eerie Silence Of A Heartbeat

**Author Note: Sorry for the delay and no comments from me. I'm a rookie, plus we lost internet connection . Hope you like the story. Also I know nothing. If I did would I be writing this crap here. And yes I do realise I called my work crap. Though its just my work that is crap not anyone else's...just read the story!Please forgive my ramble. **

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><p><strong>*Chapter 3: The Eerie Silence Of A Heart Beat *<strong>

**{In The Zoo's Infirmiry}**

**"...no...anti-vomit syrum,no...cough syrip,no...anti-toxin,no...anti-venim...- wait! This is it! Axertrim- ackserthim- uh...never mind, but this should help with Marlene's sudden ailment," Phil frantically signaled to Mason something urgent," oh right, thanks for reminding me Phil. As Phil 'said' this medicine will require to be injected directly into Marlene's bloodstream. So you'll need to find a syringe and needle." Mason handed the bottle of unpronouncable crap to Skipper.**

**Skipper shuddered when he thought about a sharp pointy needle piercing his, or anyone's, skin- especially Marlene's. She was too cute and naive; too sweet and friendly for this to be happening to her. She didn't deserve this. She was... is too- Skipper shook his head to get rid of forbidden thoiughts. A comando leader like didn't have for romance or love. It would only distract him in battle and could be used as a weakness to get to him by Dr. Blowhole. Besides all of his other relationships with women had all ended in disaster. What would make one with **_**her**_** any different. **

**Skipper suddenly became aware that everyone was waiting for him to shout out shook his head one last time. He'd resolve **_**that**_**later, after Marlene was feeling better.**

**"Rico, Private help me carry this ice back to the zoovineer shop pronto! Kowalski, search for that syringe and needle," he turned to the chmps, "the two of you will come with us. All right lets roll out!" Skipper, Rico, and Private each grtabbed a bag of ice and headed towards the door, the chimps trailing be hind them, Lewaving Kowalski alone in the cold and eerily sterile infirmiry.**

**Now, while the tall, intellectual penguin knew virtually nothing about relationships and women he had enough common sense to know what Skipper had been pondering about. Something he'd concluded for quite sometime.**

*****_**Skipper why don't you simply tell Marlene how you feel instead of beating yourself up over her. You've been acting strange around Marlene ever since the "Arlene" incident. The whole zoo sees it-including the lemurs! The only one who doesn't is Marlene. Kind of cliche` if you ask me ,but its true.**_*** Kowalski pondered this for a few more moments before giving up and searching for the syringe and needle. After five minutes of searching he found it in the doctor's desk. On his way out he pondered on Skipper's connections to their sick friend once more.**

**{In the Zoovineer Shop}**

**Meanwhile the others were getting more and more nervous. There was no talking among them because it didn't seem right. Plus no one new what to saw. During the time the others left for medical supplies Marlene had drifted in and out of unconsciousness to semi-consciensness. They tried to get her to react to their voices but she would simply stare into space like the weren't there. But what really got to them was her screams. Those awful blood-curling screams caused even Joey to yelp like the others did.**

**At the the moment she was conscious-sorta. That blank stare was getting to all of them now. **

_**Whhhaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiieeeeee!**_

**Another blood-curling scream hed come and gone. This grabbing the lemurs attention.**

**"What was that being?" the lemurs strolled in...well Julien strolled in. Mort and Maurice were regretfully following him a couple yards back.**

**"It sounded like a ghosty" Mort said grabbing Julien's feet for protection.**

**"Mort! How many times must I be telling you? No touching the royal feet!" The others imediatly shushed him. "What?" was what he said kicking a terrified Mort off of his feet. Mort rushed through the air landing on top of Marlene!**

**For everyone it seemed like time paused for a moment. They heard Marlene gasp a wheezy gasp for air. Suddenly sounded as though she was choking. She started a wheezing and coughing fit. Mort immediatly jumped off of her.**

**Maurice checked her pulse. He looked grim."She doesn't have a pulse," this caused even Julien to be silent.**

**Then it was quiet. A deafen silence. **_**She wasn't having a fit anymore.**_

**No, all that was there was the eerie silence of a heartbeat.**

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><p><strong>Bum-bum-bum! And fade out. Please review.<strong>


	4. A Close Call And A Lost Friend Returns

**Sorry for the wait but I had writer's block. Also sorry for sush a short chapter. I own nothing! **

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: A Close Call And A Lost Friend Returns<strong>

Skipper and the others had just walked in when Maurice said that Marlene had no pulse. He startled them when he yelled,"Marlene!" He immediatly rushed to her side. He double checked her pulse and breath. None! Setting her on her back, he opening her mouth and began to give her CPR! Thank the Blessed Father for the I.B.I.A.D. for medical emegicy aid for making this a mandatory requirement. Every one was very quiet while he did this, even Julien. The only sound that could be heard was Skipper going,"1...2...3..." over and over again. Finally after moments of trying and finally gasped a wheazing breath. Everyone gave an exhasperated sigh of relief. Marlene was back to breathing. Skipper put his ear-hole to hear chest, blushing as he did this. Luckly his face was turfned away from everyone else. Fortuntionatly, she had a steady healthy pulse. The sound of what gave this otter life made him feel all warm and tingly inside. He hated the feeling...no he loved it...no hgeted how it made him feel weak...but he liked the peace it gave him.  
>Realising that his head was still on her chest he quickly picked his head up. He quickly picked it up, mumbling some excuse about it taking a few minutes to hear her pulse.<br>"Whew, that was beging a close one. Wasn't it." Julien was again met by multiple glares. He should really just leave, shouldn't he? The penguins used this time to place the bags-o-ice around Marlene's body.  
>"What. I am royalty so you will be telling the royal me what it was that has caused you commoners to glare with such intensity that should have you beheaded. Hey! Are you listeni-!" Julien's annoyingly pointless ranting was cut off by Burt wrapping his trunk around "King" Julien's head like a gag.<br>Suddenly there was a loud crash outside two yelps. One everyone recognized and the other rang though Skipper's mind like a bell. It bounced off the walls of his mind like a haunting melody. This was the last person he wanted to see right now.  
>Everyone ran outside to see what the commotion was. When they got outside they found a startled Kowalski on the ground clutching the medical supplies for dear life. That expression on Kowalski's face confirmed exactly who that voice belonged to. They turned to see what had startled the intellectual penguins so badly. What they saw was a bird.<br>The bird looked around until she spotted who she was looking for. "Skipper!"(?)

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><p><strong>Please review! Guess who the bird is. Mmwwwaaaahhahahahahahahaha!*lightning strikes in back ground. Readers back away slowly.* Poette thanks U! Flames are accepted. As long as you care enough to review. Bye-bye!XD XD XD<strong>


	5. Past Connections Are Made

**I own nothing. Enjoy.**

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><p>Chapter 5: Past Connections Are Made<p>

"I...it can't be Helen!" Slipper was stupified(that a word?). The dove nodded at him.  
>"Hey Skippy! Still see you hitting the fish a little to hard. Oh well it guess it helps with lastly long out in the wilderness without much food! Ha!"Skipper began ti fume. This lady always knew how to push a persons buttons. Especially Skipper sine she new him ever sinse he hatched. She was a simple medical aid at the time. Just out of the academy.<br>"Why you ($#%-)!" "Helen, (whew), thought I'd lost you!"Skipper was cutt of by an extremly familiar voice.  
>He turned to the direction of that voice."Kitka!"<br>"Hello Skipper. Its been a while." Crap! He really did not have time for this. It was bad enough that Helen was her but Kitka the ex-girlfriend too. What was next Lola the boblehead coming to kill him in his sleep. Something hit him right then.  
>"Wait! How do you two know each other. And more importantly why are you even here Helen!" Skipper was extremly confused. Helen never went anywhere without it being an assignment. And even then only if it was a life or death situation. So...why was she hear in New York.<br>"I knew Kitka's parents. End of story. I knew she lived out her where you were stationed so I figured that she'ld be able to show me where to find you. And she did, you dog you. Just like you're father." Helen snickered. Skipper flushed. "And as for why I am here well its about Experiment Nineteen."  
>"E-experiment Nineteen!" Skipper could barely remember her, but could remember that she was extremly dangerous.<br>"Yep. The angency just received some intel about her where abouts and...," she snickered,"it figures that she'ld end up right here with you. Ha!"  
>"Guys?" a new voice came into the open. It belonged to...Marlene! She was awake. Everyone rushed into the zooviner shop to see an awake, weak, and very confused Marlene.<br>"Marlene, you're awake!" She tried to stand up but was still too weak. Her legs gave out from under her. Skipper, having, excelent reflexes, caught her in the nick of time. "Maybe you should just rest for now." He set her down on the table and then went over to Kowalski, pulling him over to the side. "Kowalski why is she awake? You haven't given her the medicine yet have you?" Skipper again grimaced at the thought of needles piercing through her skin.  
>"No sir I haven't yet. Its all still here. She shouldn't be awake right now." Kowalski was baffled. Partly because of Marlene's surprizing recovery and partly because of Helen. Helen was well know in the force as a one of the best. She was impeccible in field op. and was practically Florence Nightengale in that infirmiry. She made Joey look like Mort and had a sacarstic personality that was like venom.<br>"Then how is sh-" Skipper was cut off by Helen.  
>"Well I'll be... if it isn't little Marley." Helen had come over to where Marlene was. Marlene cracked her eyes at the sound of someone talking to her. It took a few minutes for the image to focus and a few minutes more before she recognized the looming figure.<br>"Helen?" It wasn't much more then a mumble but Skipper was able to hear her.  
>"Oh its me, experiment nineteen." Helen chuckled at the small growl Marley made at being called an blinked in shock. He couldn't beleve it. "M-Marlene, you're E-experiment Nineteen!" Skipper really couldn't believe that cute and naive Marlene was the Experiment Nineteen.<br>Marlene looked down, obviously ashamed., and Helen simply smirked."Didn't recognize her did you Skip." Skipper seethed while the other's simply remained really comfused.  
>"Okay I am really being confused now! Just who is being this Experiment Nineteen?" Julien was the most confused out of everyone.<br>Helen had a smug look on her face that was obviously amused by all of this. "This little otter right here is Experiment Nineteen. And from the look on Skipper's face it looks like he didn't recognized her either." She chuckled again.  
>Suddenly, they heard a low but loud rumbling sound like a growl.<p>

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><p><strong>Haaaaaahaaaaaaahaaaaaa! I tricked u! There will be Kitka in the next chapter though. Please review!<strong>


	6. Cute And Naive?

*Chapter 6: More Connections And A Piece Of The Puzzle*

The low growl turned out to have come from both Kitka and Marlene. The smaller zoo animals gulped knowing that to Kitka they might be on the menu. "What? It was a long flight!" They had all been staring at her wondering who she'ld try to eat first.  
>"Okay Miss Kitka I think that you've overstayed your welcome." Skipper tried to to push her out of the zoo. He definatly didn't need his ex-girlrfriend's hunger making this situation worse.<br>"Hey don't shove! Cut it out! Skipper, honestly! One time and you don't trust me anymore!" Kitka was really begining to get peeved.  
>"Kitka! Skipper's right. It's time you left. You've done you job." Helen was talking nowand she was dead serious. To most people it would stupid for a dove to stand up against a falcon but then again those people didn't know Helen. Helen could make a liger cower in fear just with her voice.<br>Kitka sighed in defeat. "Fine," she grumbled and flew of.  
>"Thanks," Skipper grumbled, barely audiable.<br>Marlene's stomach growled again.  
>"Rico, Private go back to the H.Q. and get Marlene some! Pronto!" As they left Skipper turned to Marlene, "Marlene when was the last time you ate something."<br>Marlene fiddled with her thumbs and looked heisitant.  
>"Marlene! I need an answer!"<br>"Um...about...a week."  
>"A week?" Everyone shouted at this.<br>"M-Marlene w-why would you go a week with out eating something." Skipper seethed through his teeth. Marlene grimaced at the venom in his voice. Skipper saw this and softened his voice."Marlene I just want you to be safe."  
>Rio and Private came back with the fish, setting them in front of Marlene whose mouth had started watering at the sight of it.<br>"You should eat something Experiment Nineteen. You know what happens when your abilities kick in." Helen didn't have to tell her twice. Marlene literally attacked the fish in front of her, tearing into it like a great white shark into its prey. It was actually quite frightening to watch and it made the residents of Central Park glade that they weren't listed in her diet.  
>Once she had...um...injested the fish she wash partually covered in in fish guts and blood and her fur was a slight mess. It made her look...monsterous and kinda scary.<br>"Um...can I have some more?" she asked nervously.  
>After eating her way through eight baker's dozen of fish she was finally full. The zoovineer shop floor was cover with remaining fish bits and bones.<br>Marlene looked around and saw the mess she made. "Sorry for the me- what's wrong with you all? You look like you'd seen a ghost or monster or something!"  
>"We kinda did."<br>"Anyway, Helen exactly what 'abilities' were you talking about?" asked Kowalski, being his inquisitive self.  
>Helen sigh. "Well Skipper should remember at least something. Ask him. He is your comanding officer after all."<br>Skipper tapped his beak thinking. "Well...I remember that it had something to do with...with nanomachines?"  
>"Yes. It does."<br>"Nanomahines?"  
>"What are those?"<br>"They are microsoftic robots that when programed can do a many things like repair equipment, destroy poison, ect." Kowalski said looking at 'options' board.  
>"Right!" Helen nodded agreeing with Kowalski's analysis.<br>"But I don't see what this has to do with Marlene!" Kowalski was crunching numbers on his abbicus trying to put this whole thing together.  
>"Oh, that's because-" Helen was cut off by a new voice. "Because in my body is an extra organ and this extra organ creates and distibutes nanomachines through my body at will. I can control them amd createe just about anything that I can think of. I-I was c-created to be a-be a weapon" Marlene began to weep into her paws and everyone else, even Julien, became gravely silent. Helen looked down at the floor, glumbly. It was beginning to come clear Marlene had a past that was anything but 'cute and naive'. <p>


	7. Her Abilities and Kowalski's Questions

**Author note: I own nothing! Sorry for the long wait to update. I've been busy with my other stories. Anyway thanks to all the reader and reviewers out there who have put up with me. Enjoy! XD**

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><p><strong>*Chapter 7: Demonstrations, Explainations and Kowlaski's Constant Questions*<strong>

After Marlene calmed down everyone had some questions to ask her and Helen. Some, like Kowalski, laughed nervously waiting for someone to say 'got ya' or 'psych'.

When no one did they, Kowalski, shut up.

Then, being his inquisitve self, also began asking questions. "But how! Who! When." He then began to hyperventalate.

"Okay Kowalski! Calm down! We do not need someone else passing out here. Let Marlene explain." Skipper tried to relax his second in command down so that Marlene could explain to everyone about her 'abilities.'

"Well my power might need a demonstration," Marlene then put her left paw out in front of her, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Everyone was silent while Marlene consentrated. At first nothing happened, but then her paw and started to...to...change. Her paw looked like it was wavering, like heat distortion and then it ilongated and her fur became a smooth silver. Her paw finally had morphed into a three-foot-long sythe. Everyone's eyes bugged and they inched away from the sharp edge of the sythe. It looked blood-thirsty.

"Whhaaaaa!"

"Okay we get it now if you would please put the sharp pointy thing away!" Julien was hiding behind Maurice and prepared to use Mort as a shield if he needed to.

"Alright." Marlene consentrated and her arm wavered and morphed back.

"Is that all that you can do?-and now that I've said I know that there is more." Kowalski gave out an exasperated sigh.

Marlene nodded but didn't smile,"Yeah...many things...many scary things..." her voice faded and she looked away from everyone. She had a distant look on her face as though she was remebering something she didn't like remebering.

"Marlene are you okay?" Skipper was genuinly concerned for Marlene.

"Huh...oh yeah, I'm fine." She shook her head losing that distant look in her eyes.

"If you don't mind my asking what else can you do?" Kowalski asked carefully, not wanting to upset her. "Well if I consentrat really hard then I can..." her voice trailed off. Suddenly Marlene's entire body began to waver and then she started to become all dotty and slowly began dissapear. Everyone looked around trying to find her but she wasn't anywhere. Then Skipper felt a breeze go by and it whispered in his ear, "It's good to see you again Skipper, I'm sorry for not telling you earlier."

"Marlene?" Skipper's words were barely a whisper as he bagan to remember Experiment Nineteen aka Marlene the Otter. He then felt the breaze swirl around him and he could here it humming. Skipper began to actually feel peaceful and not his usually overly paranoid-self.

This abrutley ended when Marlene suddenly materialized in mid-air and landed on Skipper. "Oof!"

"Urg...sorry Skipper...still haven't got full control yet." Her voice sounded warped and slightly echoy and Skipper knew what that meant: she stil wasn't completly whole yet. She hadn't been able to that when they were little so that meant she must have been practicing thoughout the years.

"It's all right Marlene but...exactly since whan can you do that. I mean I knew that those nano-machines are top notch tech but how could it turn you into vapor?"

"Well...like I said I have to consentrate really hard. "What I'm consentrating to do is get a nano-machine attatched to each cell...and well they then override the nucleus and comamd the cells to separated from one another-" Marlene was interupted by, of course, Kowalski.

"So your cells and molecules spread out and you become a vapor." while she had been explaining her abilities Kowalski had been switching between taking notes on his clip board and doing some calculations on his abicus.

Marlene nodded. "Exactly."

Kowalski then summoned up the courage to ask one vital quaestion. He cleared his thoart, "Marlene...pardon my asking but ...er...exactly where was it that...you uh...got these...abilities?" A tension then slowly filled the air and everyone could tell that this question was taboo to Marlene. Marlene's expresion had grew blank, stoic.

Everone waited in a very uncomferable silence befor Marlene closed her eyes.

When she opened them she something that made everyone's blood turn ice cold.

"I was born at N.I.M.H."

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><p><strong>Dun-dun-dun! No wonder she didn't like to talk about past. R&amp;R! Poette out! ;P<strong>


	8. Her Hidden Past Revealed

**Author note: I own nothing except for Helen. Sorry for the wait. Next chap is the last!**

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><p><em><strong>*A Hidden Past*<strong>_

_-Her Hidden Past...Revealed_

"N-N-N-N-N.I.M.H!" Mason stuttered. No one could believe it. They all knew that N.I.M.H. existed, every animal knew that. It was the place where when you went in you never came out. Not as you were any way. Marlene was proof of that.

"The National Institute of Mental Heath? But how?" Kowaski asked in disblief.

"Well...I was born there...as were my parents and my little siblings." Marlene choked back a sob. "They didn't survive the tranformations." She let tears fall from her face."They died...right in front of me and I couldn't do anything to help!" Her voice started to break into sobs. "Ijust stood back and watched as they-as they-as they-" Marlene couldn't talk and more. Her grief was in complete contol now.

Eveyone was still. No one knew how to act or react. N.I.M.H., while helping find many cure for diseases had a cark secrete in its walls. An underground portion of it was doing harmful animal and human experimentation. These scientists who felt they could play god with innocent life were ruthless. Some volunteered their own children for the experiments! Shock collars, whips, tazers, stun guns, etc you name it. Any torcher device was used to keep the experiments at bay.

"Mercenary. Killer. Executioner. Grim Reaper. Assassin. . Grave Digger..." she started to mumbled all sorts of horrible names to herself. Skipper stepped forward to comfert her, but she shook him off.

"Please don't come any closer to me. I'm a monster! They trained me to be an assassin. To take care of their enemies." Everyone gasped. Cute and naive Marlene...an assassin! The thought seemed illogical. She was to Marlene to kill anyone, right? "The blood-oh the blood! Their screams! I couldn't control my power and they-they-they died. I've been able to keep my power at bay for this long but what if I lose control and I-and I-I don't want to hurt anybody!" she broke down into tears again.

At that moment Helen stepped forward. "That is actually why I have come. Marlene after the organization learned about what you had been trained to do they sent me here to collect you and bring you back to the HQ so we could retrain you to hone your powers without losing controll. The entire training process will most likely take a year give or take a few months and require alot of dedicaion on your part. Of course I won't take you by force it is your decision. I'll give you until tomorrow to decide." With that Helen flew of, most likely to find a perch in the park to sleep at for the night.

Marlene had stopped crying and was in serious deep thougt about what Helen had offered. Controll. To finally be in controll of her powers. Total and permanent controll and not worry about unintentionally hurting one of her friends. After so many years of living in fear behind a mask of innocence she would be free. But...

...what if she wasn't able to controll her powers? What if she instead was allured by them and that old instinct kicked in and she went off on a killing spree? What if she became a monster? What if she forgot who she was? What if she forgot her friends? What if she forgot who she loved?

"Marlene...what do you think?" Skipper asked slowly. She looked up and expected him to list off the reasons she should go with Helen, but instead he look...uncertain.

It was as if he didn't want her to go. She figured that he'ld be the first to send her packing. Something about her being a compromise to their operations.

What was up with that?

"I...I don't know. I don't to hurt anyone, but I don't want to leave you guys. What the training changes me? What if I go back to liking the feel of my powers?" Marlene broke into sobs. She couldn't turn back into that Marlene. That Marlene was a ruthless killer. She couldn't turn into that! She c-!

She froze. Skipper had done something she didn't expect. He kissed her forhead.  
>He whispered comferting words into her ear and she melted into the embrace.<p>

"Don't worry Marlene, you're going to alright no matter what you choose. You are very strong. Trust me and trust yourself. Trust your heart." he broke the hug to look at her in the eyes. Wiping tears from her eyes and cheeks, he smiled at her. It wasn't that cocky sarcastic smirk but a true blue smile.

"Thanks Skipper." _I know what I want to do. I'm going to follow my heart. Thanks for clearing that up Skipper._

"So do you know what you're going to do Marlene?" Maurice asked her. Everyone was anxious to hear what she had choosen.

"Yes. Yes I do."

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><p><strong>Any ideas as to what she picked. Hint: she picked out of love. Read and review.<strong>


	9. Her Choice

**Author note: All that I own is Helen. Everything else belongs to someone else. This is the finall chap. I wrote this in a rush so Its probably not great. Thanks to all my loyal and supproting reviewers out there. I couldn't have done this without you. Enjoy!**

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><p><strong><em>*A Hidden Past*<em>**

_-Her Choice_

The next morning the zoo was closed, but everyone up early anyway. It was time to see Marlene off. Yes, Marlene chose to go with Helen and hone her powers. While she wouldn't be anywhere near her love for about a year, at least she wouldn't have to take the chance of hurting her friends. At first, when she told everyone what she had decided, they tried to talk her out of it. She wouldn't budge though. She needed to do this.

At the moment everyone was gathered at the zoo gates saying their goodbyes to Marlene.

Honestly no body wanted her to leave. Julien even tring to make a 'kingly order' that she couldn't leave. She wouldn't budge.

"Bye guys." Marlene said sadly. She didn't want to leave her friends but she cared about their safety even more than her own social needs.

"G-good-bye M-Marlene," Private sobbed.

"I concure with Private, Salutations," Kowalski said trying to keep himself from sobbing.

"Whaaaaa-whhaaaaaaa!" Rico was flat-out crying.

"I'm going to miss you guys too." Marlene gave the three of them a hug.

"Oof!" Marlene was suddenly tackled by Mort.

"Me no likey you leaving. Whaaaaa-whaaaaa!" Mort broke into tears.

"Shhhh-shhh! It's all right Mort, I'll be back. As soon as I can. Okay." Marlene spoke in a calm soothing voice, trying to calm the frantic little mouse lemur.

"Good-bye Marlene, we'll miss you." Maurice took Mort from her.

"Thanks!" she gave him a hug.

"Well, I-I will not b-be missing you o-ne bit y-you s-illy ot-ter." Julien said trying to not cry and act like he didn't care if she left or not(even though he tried to force her to stay just five minutes ago).

"Ahhh...come here Julien." She tackled him into a hug as well, which he hesitantly returned.

"Marlene it's time to leave." Helen said.

"All right, I've just got to say goodbye to Skipper. Where is Skipper?"

"Behind you Marlene," turning she saw Skipper smiling sadly at her. He was proud that she had grown taller, but he was sad to see her leave.

"Skipper!" she ran over to him and crashed into him, squeezing him with all her might.

"Marlene...to tight." Skipper weazed out. Dang, did she have a grip.

"Oops sorry." she gigled and released him.

"So I guess this is goodbye," Marlene said sadly.

"For now." Skipper stated.

"Marlene, we need to leave now!" Helen was getting irritated. She didn't like being kept waiting.

"I'm coming!" she yelled at Helen, turning back at Skipper, she said, "Bye."

Then she did something that shocked him. She leaned forward and **kissed him** on the **beak**. It was a soft loving gesture and ended too quick for Skipper.

She leaned up and whispered something to him that no one else heard and then ran to Helen and the crate that would take them to HQ.

The crate was sealed up and loaded on the truck.

They all hid when the guy who checks up on the place when it's closed came. He looked at the truck confused and drove then it to the shipping docks.

She was gone.

Skipper was sad, but then touched the tip of his beak and grinned a full blow grin.

He wasn't worried. She'ld come back to them and to him.

She wouldn't leave her boyfriend by himself, now would she?

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><p><strong>It's finally finished! I may redo this chap based on reviews. I may make a one shot of her returning, but I plan on finishing Aquatic, Something Beyond Friendship, and The Dare first. R&amp;R!<strong>


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